UPDF recalls 4,000 reservists

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has called up reservists under the age of 55 for training ahead of their deployment in the Somalia Peacekeeping Mission, Defence Spokesperson Felix Kulayigye, said in a statement yesterday.
Reservists have been directed to report to centres in different parts of the country for the short mobilisation exercise that will end on February 18. The deputy Defence spokesperson, Col Deo Akiiki, told this publication that the reservists will be deployed in “two battle groups”.

“We hereby inform the public that the UPDF – Reserve Force will conduct a call-up exercise of UPDF Veterans for a peacekeeping mission. The exercise is expected to run from 15 February to 18 February 2023 and will be conducted in various centres all over the country, by different teams from the UPDF and will be supported by RDCs and DISOs of the area where that particular centre is located,” Brig Kulayigye said in a statement. 

The UPDF veterans must have their discharge certificate and a national identity card in order to be qualified for the mission. They must be 55 years of age or younger, in good health, and physically fit.
Once recruited, Col Akiiki clarified, the able-bodied reservists or veterans will form part of Uganda Battle Groups XXXIX and XI. 
At the end of the exercise on February 18, successful veterans will be transported to the Peace Support Training Centre, PSO-Singo, Nakaseke District.
Asked whether the capacity of the active force is stretched that the military is turning to veterans for the key peace keeping mission, Col Akiiki said the measure is part of the military’s efforts to engage its veterans and will be implemented within the law.

“We have capacity to deploy active forces but in such cases, it’s wise to deploy them so that active forces can do retraining, refresh and be ready for other assignments. Remember, they are referred to as active reservists with a structure and command,”  he explained.
Ugandan troops are currently deployed in several peacekeeping missions and military operations in the region including in Equatorial Guinea where the country has deployed troops since 2017 purportedly to help build an army of a “brotherly country”.
A May 2022 study by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a global security think tank, ranked Uganda as the second largest contributor to peacekeeping operations worldwide as of as of December 31,  2021. At the time of the study, Uganda had 6,162 troops deployed to several missions only coming behind Ethiopia which at the time had 8,611 troops involved in peace operations.

Uganda has been actively involved in peacekeeping missions in various parts of the world under the umbrella of the United Nations and the African Union.  Notably, Uganda was one of the largest contributors of troops to the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), which was established in 2007 to support the Government of Somalia in its efforts to stabilise the country and fight against terrorism.

The Ugandan troops, together with troops from other African nations, have been working to secure major urban centres in Somalia, provide humanitarian assistance, and help train and equip Somali security forces. In April 2022, Amisom changed to the African Union Transitional Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). Uganda remains a major troop contributor to the mission that the reservists are expected to join.
The country is also a contributor of troops to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).  Uganda began contributing troops to UNMISS since its establishment in 2011.  The mission aims to protect civilians, monitor and investigate human rights violations, and support the implementation of the peace agreement in South Sudan.